Epiphany
by Eowyn77
Summary: Perry White has an editor's eye – of course he would notice. Spoilers for Justice League


Author's Note: As stated in the summary, this story does contain spoilers for Justice League. You have been warned. :) A final scene in the movie that had Clark as Clark in Metropolis left me scratching my head. I suspect we'll eventually get an official explanation for how that's supposed to work. (Maybe Batman will claim he tested the resurrection thing on Clark first before bringing back Superman?) In the meantime, though, this idea occurred to me and I thought others might enjoy it, too.

* * *

Monday, a thrill ran through Perry White when he approved the headline, "Is Superman Back?" It was still conjecture, but considering the human-looking man with dark hair could fly, had abs of steel, and could beat Wonder Woman, the Gotham Bat, and a couple of other freaks to a bloody pulp in one go, it was a question that everyone was wondering. He tried to keep the article factual, but when those facts included that this mystery man had stopped his rampage when Lois showed up and then had flown off with her, it was hard to not be at least a little hopeful.

His hopes were confirmed when he got a text from Lois saying Superman was alive and she was fine, but she wouldn't be in to work for the rest of the day or for the next. His reply had simply been, "Take your time. The exclusive will be worth it."

Then he got that email. That innocuous, humdrum, everyday type of email that should have been just another formality. It was a proof of the photo that was supposed to go with the Superman article – the (probably) Man of Steel standing in the wreckage of Heroes Park. But when he clicked on the thumbnail and the image filled his monitor, he could only see one thing: blue dress slacks. Superman had lain in state wearing his iconic alien attire, but apparently he'd been resurrected in blue dress slacks.

He blinked stupidly for several minutes, his mind rebelling at the implications. But the longer he stared at the picture, the more sense it made. For one thing, it cleared up one of the biggest mysteries in his life: Lois' attraction to Clark Kent. At this point it was just a theory, though, one he had no intention of acting on until he knew more. Closing the image, he messaged the Planet's chief photo editor, telling him they needed a tighter crop on Superman's face – at least from the waist up if the resolution allowed.

"That'll make it look like he came back stark naked," was the reply.

"Women read the news, too," Perry typed. "Do it." Lois, at least, would appreciate it. And maybe Kent would, too.

After months of thinking of him in the past tense, it was surprising how easy it was to switch back.

…

Lois returned on Thursday afternoon, and Perry watched her closely as she crossed the bullpen and got settled in at her desk. There was a spring to her step that had been absent for months, and she was smiling – not the forced act of a smile but practically glowing with happiness.

The whole world knew now that Superman was back, and seeing Lois like this, Perry was increasingly convinced that meant Clark was back, too. Except he couldn't be, not really. Not like he had been before – here and part of the Daily Planet. That was a damn shame, he admitted. Clark had been a good reporter.

An idea occurred to Perry, and he smothered a grin before bellowing, "Lois!"

She jumped and turned to look at him.

"My office, now."

Even that couldn't wipe the smile from her face, and a thrill similar to Monday's ran through Perry. Kent had to be alive.

He sat behind his desk just as Lois hurried into his office and shut the door.

"Problem?" she asked.

Perry drummed his fingers on his desk as he tried to figure out the best way to work this.

"I've already started the exclusive," Lois volunteered. "It'll have to be thin on specifics for some of the background timing and locations, but I've got several great quotes and a detailed account of the events in Russia."

"That's not why I called you in here."

Lois tilted her head in puzzlement, and he gestured that she should take a seat. Starting with the truth would be easiest. "You know, if Clark was still around, I'd partner the two of you on this story."

Her expression stilled, but instead of grief, he saw a wariness in her eyes.

"Maybe you could help me out here, Lois."

"I'm not sure what the problem is," she answered.

"The problem is that I'm short a reporter. We haven't found a replacement for him."

Her smile turned wistful, but it was still a genuine smile. "He's pretty irreplaceable."

Her use of the present tense didn't escape his notice, either. "Well I need to," he sharply said, and she sat up a little straighter.

"Clark didn't have a brother, did he?" Perry asked.

"No...?" Lois said uncertainly. "He was an only child."

"What about a cousin, then?"

She stiffened almost like he'd insulted her. "I'm not sure where you're going with this."

Suddenly Perry did, though. "Does being a reporter run in his family? Is it in his blood? Maybe he has a cousin or someone who looked like him? Who might even be mistaken for him at a distance? Because if such a person was even half the reporter Clark was, I'd hire him in a heartbeat."

Her jaw dropped in shock, and Perry continued, his plan taking a firmer shape in his mind. "He'd have to be freelance and telecommute, of course. Couldn't have him coming into the Planet where he might be mistaken for Clark. But he could make a decent living that way. Continue to help with the rent and all – though you'll probably need a different apartment. Even here in Metropolis, your neighbors would know that your boyfriend had died."

"H-how...?" Lois stuttered.

Perry smirked. "Dress slacks. Superman was buried in his Kryptonian suit – or that's what everyone thought, anyway – but Clark was buried in a blue business suit."

He let her absorb that for a moment. Finally she asked, "Before that? While he was working here?"

He snorted in amusement. "You two were good. Never suspected a thing. Though a lot of things made sense in retrospect."

Stunned, she sat back in her chair.

"Think about it, maybe talk it over with his cousin, see what he thinks. But I do want that exclusive ASAP."

Lois nodded briskly once and, rising to her feet, hurried toward the door. "I'll get right on it, Perry."

"Good," he said, but she was already gone.

…

Two weeks later, Lois requested Friday off. When Perry asked her about it in the copy room, she gave him a knowing smile. "I'm moving in to a new apartment this weekend. Too many ghosts in the old one."

"About time," Perry answered with approval.

Behind them, Cat Grant made a disgusted sound. If she thought he was being callous, he was fine with that. It was better than her thinking there was more to Lois' chipper mood than relief at Superman's return.

The week after that, Perry got another email that had him bellowing for Lois. When she hurried in to his office, he glared at her. "Calvin Kent?"

"Pardon?"

"His nickname is Cal? Don't you think that's a little obvious?"

Lois grinned widely. "At least it's spelled with a C. This way he'll even get his old email address back." When he narrowed his eyes at her, she admitted, "It was his mother's idea. So was giving Cal the middle name of Clark. Both cousins were named after a mutual ancestor."

Shaking his head, he muttered under his breath about amateurs and Lois went back to work.

The next day, he met "Calvin" Kent for a lunchtime interview at the coffee shop and eatery across the street from the Planet. Perry didn't see him until he was a couple of yards away. He was in a trench coat instead of flannel, but he still wore the thick glasses. Perry wasn't sure if the new wardrobe would fool anyone else at the Planet, but with "Cal" working freelance, that wouldn't matter.

"Kent," Perry said, and Cal lifted his head to grin at him.

Crossing the distance between them in two long strides, Cal extended his hand. "Perry White, I presume?"

Perry looked at that hand, the hand that could bend steel, that could endure a nuclear blast, that saved the world three times now. The hand that had lain lifeless in a Kansas living room, the hand that had written stories at his command, the hand that held Lois'. More in awe than he'd expected to be, Perry shook that hand. He might have the byline of Calvin Kent now, but the man in front of him beamed with Clark's smile.

"Thank you...for everything," Cal said.

"Do the Kent name justice, and we'll call it even," Perry gruffly replied, absolutely refusing to get choked up. "Now what do you want to eat? I'm buying."


End file.
